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Tea Brack

Ingredients

225 gWheat flour

2 tspBaking powder

375 gDried fruits

raisins, dried apricots, prunes

250 mlBleak tea

of room temperature

50 mlWhiskey

125 gBrown sugar

1 pcsEgg

1 tspCinnamon

1/4 tspNutmeg

Directions

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My first trip to Ireland was this spring. We were on our way from Dublin to the Atlantic Coast Region through marvelous green fields and pastures. Late in the afternoon we arrived at the cottage we were staying at night. The hostess served us hot tea (Irish tea is so delicious!) with a home-made cake with dried fruit. That cake was cut in slices, just like bread, and served with salted butter. It was so incredibly delicious that I asked her for a recipe. The hostess told us that that was a traditional Irish tea brack. The secret to a good tea brad is to soak dried fruit in tea and whiskey!

The cake is rich of dried fruit that make it so sweet and fruity with a dense, bread-like texture, and spices and whiskey make it very flavorsome and nutty. It bakes and keeps very well and it’s perfect to serve with a cup of tea! I highly recommend! And don’t forget butter to serve it with!

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Steps

1

Done

24 h

SOAK DRIED FRUIT

Cover the dried fruit with tea and whiskey. Let soak at room temperature for 24 h. The fruit will absorb almost all the liquid.

BATTER

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and spices. Add an egg and combine well. Then add the dried fruit and combine again. Fold in the fruit liquid and combine until thick. You may not need all the liquid or you may have to add some water. As for me, I usually have about 100 ml spare liquid and I add another 50 ml water to adjust the consistency. You want the batter to be thick and stiff enough to scoop with a spoon.

4

Done

SPREAD IN A TIN

Cut a length of parchment paper long enough to line the bottom of the loaf tin with extra hanging over the sides. Spread in the batter and lever the surface. The surface doesn’t need to be perfectly even - let some dried fruit be visible.

5

Done

BAKE

Bake in the preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 60 min until brown on top. It takes quite a while to bake because of presoaked fruit that make the cake moist.

6

Done

SERVE

Take the cake out and let chill on the counter. Cut in slices and serve with a cup of tea and a scrape of butter. In Ireland they love to slather it generously with salted butter, so you could try sprinkling some salt on top - you will love the taste.